Lately, different tournaments of strongmen become very popular in the world, where participants demonstrate phenomenal strength and great power of the muscles. This sports discipline becomes popular in Lithuania, and strongmen of our country achieve more and more victories at the competitions of different level. Year 2005 was of particular success for Lithuanian strongmen. Main achievement of this year was title of Strongman World Championships won by Zydrunas Savickas; together with other team members they also become winners of team competition. Consequently, it is relevant to research training methods as well as aspects of the dynamics of physical and functional abilities. So we suppose that it would be possible to understand better the phenomena of the strongest man of the planet and to organise more purposeful training of athletes in this sport discipline, if contents and peculiarities of training and preparation, level and dynamics of physical fitness and physical abilities of Strongman World Championships champion, would be thoroughly analysed. Methods. Subject of the research is physical training, physical fitness level, physical and functional abilities of the world strongmen champion. Indices of physical fitness level were measured, namely: height, body mass, muscular and fat mass and their index, lung volume, power of right and left hand. Muscular power was tested in different energy production zones: single muscular contraction power (SMCP), anaerobic alactic muscular power (AAMP). Anaerobic alactic glycolytis muscle capacity was tested using loads of 30s duration under maximal strain (Wingate test). Psychomotor functions were determined according to psychomotor response rate and movement frequency per 10s. To evaluate the functional capacity of the circulatory system, we employed Roufier test, measuring nnisp. ratp in lying position, in response to an active orthostatic test and dosed physical...

Specific qualities of competitive performance observed in different sports demand that athletes demonstrate definite special characteristics. Training and competitive performance provokes different adaptive changes within athletes' organisms. There are some sports giving preference to tall athletes. However in the greater part of sports, remarkable results may be achieved also by medium-height or even short athletes. To compare the specific influence produced by separate sports on athletes' organisms, it would be necessary to choose study groups involving athletes similar in terms of height characteristics. Study purpose was to examine specific characteristics of physical development, physical skills, and definite functions demonstrated by high performance athletes, very similar in their body height yet very different in terms of performed sport activity; and to carry out a corresponding comparative analysis. Our study involved 48 high performance athletes practising different sports. All of them were either member candidates or full members of Lithuanian Olympic Team: kayakers and canoeists (k/c) (n=12); - skiers and biathlonists (n=12); cyclists (n=12); and master team football players (n=12).). There was determined that body height and most other indices of physical development and capacity demonstrated by Lithuanian high performance athletes practising different sports differ slightly. It was only kayakers and canoeists who surpassed others in their body built and muscle power which allowed them to get among the leading athletes of the world. It was found that athletes' muscle mass was closely related to SMCP, AAMP, and high jump indices. Development of the mass of special muscles is one of the vital factors for the improvement of muscle power at short work. The study revealed problems existing in the area of selection and training of Lithuanian high performance athletes. This information may help elaborate further training of athletes...

The findings revealed that in the final preparatory period the muscular power of the sportsmen in various energy production zones had an increasing tendency. A statistically reliable improvement was found for psychomotor response time and the result of five jumps of maximum strength. Most of the game performance indices indicated a sufficient level of technical preparedness. Results of spurt attacks depended on the rivals’ capacity. Spurt attack efficiency was significantly higher in easily-won contests than in strained victories. Spurt attack efficiency mostly depended on the number of balls gained under their own basket and on the quality of the first pass.

No statistically reliable difference was observed in muscle power at shorttime work of basketball players in 2007 and 2008. However, the 10s work power was very big among players of the 2008 national team and it considerably exceeded the data acquired in the previous researches. The mixed anaerobic alactic glycolytic muscle power of the national team of 2008 was smaller compared to the members of the team of World champions of 2007, though only 2 players had changed in it. The majority of competitive acivity parameters indicated a sufficient technical fitness of the basketball players. The most important components of victories during the matches included: the bigger number of rebounds under own baskets and those of competitors as well as more assists and steals.

were analyzed. The efficiency of separate mesocycles was measured conducting laboratory works. The indices of physical development, muscle capacity in various energy production zones, also aerobic capacity were estimated. It was established that the program objectives of Lithuanian ski sprinters preparation for the Olympic Games were achieved. Skiers sprinters training lasted for 876 hours a year. 69,8 per cent of it were devoted to development of aerobic capacity and 30,2 per cent for the aerobic capacity. The estimated indices in athletes’ anaerobic alactic and anaerobic glycolytic capacity during the yearly preparatory cycle were high. Their aerobic capacity satisfied the level required for ski sprinters.

hearing deficiency their physical development does not match physical development of healthy basketball players that is why their physical powers, quality of psychomotoric functions, and functional capacity start to play an important role. The body mass of basketball players with hearing deficiency correlates with relative anaerobic alactic muscle power and with absolute 30-s term working capacity. Particularly strong link exists between body mass, muscle mass and relative anaerobic alactic glycolytic power (p<0,001 and p<0,01). Indices of physical and functional powers of basketball players with hearing deficiency who play in different positions (forward and guard) differ significantly from the average of whole team players’ indices. There is significant distinction in functional capacity of guard’s blood circulation and respiratory system revealing index – Roufier index - that is receded from the average of team players in 2,0 standard deviations.

Swimmers’ VLC average exceeded averages of adult girls; fat mass was significantly smaller, it was particularly small in R. M. and it did not prevent her from healthy physical development and reaching great physical capacity. Our established exceptional R. M. muscle contraction speed leads to a statement that her muscle contain a large amount of rapidly contracting fibres and this was the basis to develop high single muscular contraction power leading her to gain advantage when taking starts from swimming tower. Exceptional R. M. functional capacity of blood circulation system and ability quickly to recover after physical loads, comparing to other swimmers of her age, ensured possibilities for her to execute intensive physical loads and better to adapt them. Only wide complex analysis enables to establish the level of the most significant swimmers’ physical and functional powers and use it as the basis to anticipate the development of their sport achievements.

Research results have revealed that the consumption of dietary supplement Multi Maca had positive influence on athletes’ physical capacity when performing short-duration work; however this increase was not considered to be statistically reliable. Testees’ of experimental group SMCP, AAMP, maximum instantaneous power when performing 10-s duration work, and average power of this work had increased. Our research results demonstrate that consumption of dietary supplement Multi Maca had more influence on experimental group participants’ functional capacity of blood circulation and on indices of aerobic endurance than it had on control group participants.

During the yearly training cycle, starting from preparatory period beginning and up to the competitive period, maximal and mean absolute and relative anaerobic alactic muscle capacity experienced an equal increase: 9.3 percent for S.R., 9.3 percent for R.M., the relative capacity – respectively 8.7 percent and 9.1 percent, while mean working capacity of the athletes in 10 sec duration work used to increase respectively: 9.4 and 8.8 percent for S.R., and 9.2 and 9.0 percent for R.M., which influenced paddle capacity. The training load, applied during yearly training cycle, was of positive influence on the change of aerobic capacity indices at ATL and CIL. The level of those indices is in correspondence with the strongest world rowers’ level indicated in literature sources. The indices of the both athletes’ body and functional capacities during yearly training cycle became very similar in parameters due to applied training load and character of competitions. This is a desirable phenomenon in double sculls rowing sport, as the victory of event is determined by equal high physical capacities possessed by both rowers.

According to the research results, consumption of natural biologically active food supplements Linchzhi and Fohow Oral Liquid complex for 20 days had positive influence on single muscle contraction power, anaerobic alactic glycolytic power of the investigated; statistically significant increase of the latter was established during the experimental period. The food supplements complex had a positive impact on the functional condition of blood respiratory system of the investigated. Ruffier index of the experimental group members during the period of food supplements consumption used to increase from 6.4 ± 0.6 to 4.4 ± 0.7, while resting heart rate decreased from 65.6 ± 1.7 to 58.9 ± 2.0 b/min. After the carried standard physical work, pulse rate decreased from 128.5 ± 2.4 till 118.4 ± 2.5 b/min (p < 0.01). Aerobic capacity of the athletes has increased due to the food supplements consumption: VO2 max shifted from 42.0 ± 8.2 to 49.7 ± 7.8 ml/min/kg (p < 0.05). During the period of the experiment, there were no significant changes established in blood morphological and biochemical indices, and all the indices of the control group members were of less change.